Jingle Bells

"Jingle Bells" is a popular American winter song about riding through the snow in a sleigh. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) of Medford, Massachusetts. It was published under the title "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857. It was written to be sung for Thanksgiving. It is also sung at Christmas. It is sung at Christmas so much that most people believe it is a Christmas song, but it is not.

Song lyrics

Dashing through the snow

in a one-horse open sleigh,
over the fields we go,
laughing all the way.
Bells on bob tail ring,
making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
a sleighing song tonight.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh.
A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride,
and soon Miss Fannie Bright
was seated by my side.
The horse was lean and lank,
misfortune seemed his lot,
he got into a drifted bank
and we, we got upsot.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh.
Now the ground is white,
go it while you're young,
Take the girls tonight
and sing this sleighing song.
Just get a bobtailed bay,
two-forty for his speed,
Then hitch him to an open sleigh,
and crack! You'll take the lead.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh.
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
jingle all the way.
O, what fun it is to ride

in a one-horse open sleigh.

— James Lord Pierpont, Jingle Bells

Gallery

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  Chorus of "Jingle Bells"

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  Plaque at 19 High Street, Medford, Massachusetts

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  Historical marker in Savannah, Georgia

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  One horse sleigh